Archive for month: January, 2015

On January 28th, The Execu|Search Group’s Travel Healthcare staffing division hosted an in-house workshop for their working therapists. The two-hour program on sensory strategies in the classroom was led by Olivia Federico, OTD,OTR/L, an occupational therapy professional with over 15 years of experience in both school-based practice and home-based early intervention practice.
“We offer these workshops as part of our continuing effort to ensure our providers have all the tools they need to lead successful careers,” says Sean Mulryan, a Staffing Manager within Travel Healthcare who organized the workshop. “Since many of our therapists work in school settings, teaching sensory strategies often falls under their realm of responsibilities. When they expressed interest in learning more about the topic, we organized the workshop with Olivia to help them gain further insight from an expert in the field.”
Olivia’s presentation covered:
The classifications of sensory processing disorder (SPD)
The characteristics that may be seen with subtypes of sensory modulation disorder
The 4 W’s of sensory strategies used in the classroom to help children achieve academic success
The most popular sensory strategies that are used by experienced Occupational Therapists
The digital tools that support sensory strategies in the classroom in developmentally appropriate ways

It’s the end of January, and regardless of our good intentions, many of us may be slowing down on our resolutions by now. It’s the infamous one-month slip: come this time of year, job seekers may start to become complacent and networking events start to see fewer faces with each meeting. Especially if you haven’t quite been on track with your goal, it’s easy to feel discouraged as the New Year hype wears off.
So regardless of what your resolutions are (or were), it’s time to recharge them! Even if you’ve been doing a great job, take some time to pause and reflect. When it comes to your career, staying on top of goals and making steady progress is vital, so we’ve provided six tips for ensuring you stay on track:
Announce your goals to hold yourself accountable. As we said in our article on making new years resolutions, spreading the word about your goals is a great way to hold yourself accountable—especially if the people you tell are likely to check in on you. Let some family, friends, and/or colleagues know of your plans, and update them occasionally to let them know how you’re doing. If you need extra motivation, enlist a willing friend to be a “resolution buddy.” He or she can check in for regular updates and motivate you when necessary.
Review your goals and make sure they’re “S.M.A.R.T.” There’s been a lot of buzz recently about “S.M.A.R.T. goals”—as in, goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. If you hadn’t already held your goals up to this standard on January first, do so now. Are your resolutions specific and measurable, rather than vague? Are they attainable and realistic, or too “big picture” to be attained in a timely fashion (in this case, a year)? Assess your resolutions and ensure they’re “S.M.A.R.T.” If not, do some adjusting, and plan accordingly.
Record your progress. Break your overall goals down to monthly or weekly checkpoints and keep score. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing a visual representation of your success, and keeping a running record of your progress is sure to help you chug along. Likewise, if you fall short, you’ll be able to see where and how to fix your mistake, as opposed to feeling generally overwhelmed and behind.
Be flexible (and forgiving!). Eventually, there will come a time when you don’t quite meet your goals. That’s okay and to be expected. One of the biggest mistakes New Years Resolutioners make is being so rigid with their expectations that, once they fail once or twice, they call off the entire endeavor. Instead, allow yourself some time to assess what went wrong and how you can avoid the problem in the future, and create a plan for catching up to stay on schedule.
Use technology. There is an overwhelming number of productivity apps out there—checklist apps, calendar apps, storage apps that organize and sync your work to all your devices. Do a bit of research and pick the ones that work best for your particular goal, and keep them up-to-date. Think of them as regular tools that your resolution toolbox wouldn’t be the same without.
Reward yourself. When you do meet a milestone, celebrate it! Find a reward system that works best for you—for example, watching an episode of your favorite TV show for every 5 jobs you apply to, or taking yourself out for a drink after each networking event you attend. If you’re working hard, even something as simple as taking a walk to clear your mind will do. Just pick something that feels rewarding to you, and use it as not only a motivational tool but as a way to congratulate yourself for another step taken in the direction of your resolution.

In today’s ever-evolving job market, there has been a shift in employer thinking when it comes to identifying talent. While in the past, your technical skills would land you the job, today, those skills are only part of the package. With employers putting more emphasis on cultural fit than ever before, your soft skills, or intangible qualities and personality traits that aren’t always apparent from your resume, will ultimately land you the job. Why? Hiring managers are looking for employees who not only possess the skills needed to do the job, but who can also work well with the team they will be joining.
Since the employees who are a good cultural fit are the most likely to grow with the organization and push business forward, hiring managers are often willing to overlook some lack of experience or technical skills, if they feel that a candidate is a good fit and will work hard to adapt to the role and acquire the necessary skills. As a result, be sure to reference the infographic below when preparing for your next interview:

The healthcare industry experienced major changes in 2014 as a result of the Affordable Care Act. With more people insured than ever before, hospitals and care providers are experiencing an increased demand for a variety of health professionals, and this demand is only expected to grow. One sector in particular that is expected to thrive is physical therapy—in fact, according to a Forbes article, physical therapy was labeled as one of the best healthcare jobs to have in 2015, while the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 36% growth in this field through 2022.
What is it about physical therapy that makes it a top job in healthcare? Well, stats like these helped CareerCast compile their list of the best healthcare jobs in 2015, which were based on jobs with:
promising income and hiring outlook;
pleasant work environment;
low stress environment; and
modest physical demands.
Robert Tulman, a Staffing Manger on The Execu|Search Group’s Travel Therapy division, believes that whether you help an oncology patient regain their strength, or work with an athlete to heal a strained muscle, the genuine relationships you can build in this field are hard to find in other healthcare specialties. “Many of the physical therapists we work with often cite their relationships with their patients as one of their favorite parts of the job,” says Rob.
For both young and seasoned healthcare professionals considering a career in physical therapy, here are 3 reasons why Robert sees it as one of today’s best jobs in healthcare.
1. More opportunities for entry-level positions
There are very few healthcare facilities that are open to hiring new graduates since most specialized roles require at least 2 years of experience. For example, while Nursing is a very secure healthcare profession, certain hospitals still want to see clinical experience in a chosen area of specialty in order to be considered. As a result, a new graduate is more likely to experience difficulty finding entry-level opportunities because of how competitive the current market is to get real world experience.
On the other hand, most healthcare facilities are open to hiring entry-level PTs. “Since your Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree gives you a combination of classroom study and hands-on clinical training in hospitals or nursing homes, this makes you a more desirable candidate who is capable of making an impact in the workforce immediately,” says Robert.
2. Great work-life balance
“A great aspect of being a physical therapist is how flexible your time commitments can be with different types of patients,” highlights Robert. In other words, there is no set 9-5 schedule to abide by; you could work in a school from 8am-3pm, and still have the option to work with adults in the evening.
This flexibility allows you to maintain a healthy work-life balance because you aren’t on-call, or taking care of a patient that requires continuous observation and monitoring. “Since you create your schedule and have the ability to choose the types of patients you see, this not only allows you to have a very rewarding work-life balance, but this also allows your daily tasks to change depending on the person you are working with,” says Robert.
3. Continued education opportunities
Finally, as a physical therapist you have the opportunity to work in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or other practice settings, which allows you to explore different healthcare facilities with a variety of cultures and patient populations. “You are never stuck to one path; you can work with pediatric, adult, or geriatric patients in a number of locations,” says Robert. To further improve your skills, physical therapists can also utilize travel assignments as continuing education opportunities to gain more exposure to various facilities across the country.

If you are nearing the end of your college career, we have some good news for you! A recent study from Michigan State University has found that employers are planning on increasing their hiring of new college grads by 16%-20% for the Class of 2015. Since the overall hiring increase of recent grads was only 7% last year, the current demand for professionals with newly minted bachelor’s degrees implies the economy is improving, businesses are looking towards future growth, and that employers have the resources and time necessary to train entry-level employees.
Michigan State found this especially true for businesses that fall within the Health Services, Nonprofit, Manufacturing, Professional, Business & Scientific Services, Finance & Insurance, and Information Services sectors, with all of them experiencing hiring growth of 8% – 51%. From this it is clear that whether you are a new grad pursuing a career in nursing, or are hoping to break into a start-up, there are a lot of promising opportunities available in a variety of industries.
However, if you want to be able to take advantage of this hiring trend, you have to prepare accordingly. With graduation on the horizon, use the next few months to ensure your first job search is a successful one by:
Networking:
In today’s job market, one of the best ways to get ahead of fellow job seekers is to find an opportunity before it’s even publicized online. To peruse what we refer to as the hidden job market, the first step is creating a LinkedIn profile that includes a short headline that describes what you are looking for and a summary that goes into further detail. Once your LinkedIn profile is complete, you’ll be ready to create a list of any possible contacts who may be able to help you (college alumni, parent’s friends, former internship supervisors, etc.). Using your LinkedIn summary as a starting point, start putting feelers out there and see if they know of any opportunities or of any other professionals they can connect you with. It’s important to note that, regardless of whether anything actually pans out, you shouldn’t be afraid to rechurn your list and keep in contact with the people in your network. Remember, the key to successful networking is constant communication based on mutual interest, so always send a thank you offering your help in return and don’t just reach out when you need something!
Learning about your soft skills:
As a recent college graduate, employers recognize that you may not have all the technical skills needed to do the job and understand that they will have to invest in some training for you. However, to ensure you are worth the investment, hiring managers will be looking out for signs that you fit into the team and company culture, and that you are willing to make the effort to learn the skills needed to push the business forward. In order to show potential employers you are a good fit, spend the few months leading up to graduation thinking about your accomplishments in college – focusing on what soft skills or personality traits allowed you to overcome challenges and be successful. For example, being able to explain how your time management skills allowed you to consistently complete projects early, or how you were able to learn something new in a relatively short amount of time, are both great ways to highlight your soft skills on an interview. Other in-demand soft skills that are important to emphasize include: communication skills, ability to be a team player, leadership ability, etc.
Reorganizing your resume:
The majority of job seekers are most familiar with a traditional resume format where your work history is listed in chronological order. However, for someone with less experience, like a recent college graduate, this might not be the best way to highlight your value.
As an entry-level job seeker you may find more success by utilizing a functional resume format that emphasizes the skills you have acquired and the goals you have accomplished throughout your time at college. When writing a functional resume, focus on highlighting any specialized knowledge or transferable skills that could be relevant to the position you are applying to, rather than devoting too much space to describe the specific jobs and internships you have held.

Now that you’ve started tackling your New Year’s resolutions, if finding a new job has been on your to-do list for some time now, try not to stress yourself out just yet. Although you may feel as if you’re in a rut—following the same routine when applying to jobs without success—now might be the best time to mix up your routine. To avoid wearing yourself out, take a step back…relax, and use some of the following job search tips to help keep a level head.
Set realistic weekly goals
In order to make the most of your job search and to avoid feeling unaccomplished week after week, try to set small weekly goals. Why? Accomplishing small goals across time will help to slowly push your job search forward. For example, you could set a goal of applying to 5 jobs per week or sending out 8 personalized LinkedIn messages to professionals in or out of your network. While it may seem like an easy task to undertake, sticking to it and accomplishing such goals on a weekly basis can not only boost your overall confidence level, but can also help keep you motivated.
Shoot for quality over quantity opportunities
Whether you’re unemployed or you’re just looking to make a change, the urge to get a new job as soon as possible can result in anxiously submitting applications with high hopes of landing anything. Don’t pick up these bad habits as a job seeker, as a careless approach may decrease your odds of landing a job you are truly passionate about. Therefore, to ensure you are positioning yourself for roles you are qualified for and have the best odds of receiving a call back to, aim to apply to quality opportunities, rather than focusing on applying to any job possible. Remember, the more proactive you can be in trying to meet new professionals through face-to-face meetings, attending networking events, and career fairs, the more likely you may be to find quality roles in your job search!
Pursue temporary/volunteer roles
A hidden market that job seekers often leave untapped is considering the benefits of temporary work and volunteer opportunities. While these options might not be an ideal solution for every professional, they can still help to get your foot in the door with a new organization. A temporary role can broaden your professional network and even help to refresh some technical/soft skills. More importantly, depending on how well you perform in your temporary role, it could potentially evolve into a full-time position, or at least secure your name as first on the contact list the next time a full-time need arises. Similarly, volunteer opportunities give you the chance to stay up-to-date in your respective industry or learn a new skill in a different professional environment.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
The job search can undoubtedly be stressful on your mind and body if you are repeatedly unsuccessful in your efforts, which in turn can negatively impact how you interview for certain positions. To avoid reaching your tipping point during your job search, be sure to find time for leisure activities just to relax. Some good stress-relief activities that can help to maintain a good search-life balance include exercising, picking up a new hobby, or simply reading a book.
In the end, it’s important to have a healthy well-rounded approach to your job search to ensure you’re not overly-stressed and are strategically exploring all of the options available to you.

With January hiring in full-swing, now is the perfect time for employers and job seekers alike to understand what each side of the job market is looking for in 2015. This is something that we aimed to educate all of our stakeholders on in our 2015 Regional Hiring Outlook, a comprehensive job market report and hiring guide that highlights hiring projections for the Northeast as well as the factors that professionals consider most important in their employer and in a job.
The infographic below serves as a visual guide to the Outlook, and can be used as a quick reference for navigating the 2015 job market.

Information Technology professionals entering the job market in 2015 are sure to find it in their favor. As we explored in our latest whitepaper, our 2015 Regional Hiring Guide, market growth has been vastly outpacing the supply of qualified candidates across industries—especially in IT. As a result, those looking for work in this candidate-driven marketplace can expect to enjoy a number of perks, from quick call backs to speedy interviewing and quality offers.
This is especially the case for candidates who possess in-demand technical skills and attractive soft skills that employers are currently seeking. According to our Hiring Guide, Information Technology professionals highest in demand are those with Java, Big Data, Networking/Infrastructure, IT Security, and .Net experience in their skill set. As for personal characteristics, employers are currently putting the most emphasis on hiring those with problem solving and analytical thinking skills, flexibility and adaptability, communication skills, and personal accountability.
However, regardless of how many of these skills you possess and how pressing an employers’ needs are, there are still a number of ways to ruin your chances at a great opportunity. Here are some tips to ensure you don’t make the employer second-guess his or her decision to hire you once you’ve been given that offer:
Stay professional. The interview may be over, but job offers can easily be retracted in light of unprofessional behavior. Maintain the same level of professionalism during the offer and negotiation process, and the employer will surely feel confident that they made the right decision; drop your professional demeanor as if it were only an act, and they’ll quickly reconsider.
Be up front. Highballing and lowballing salaries are strategies sometimes used by candidates and employers alike in order to reach a compromised pay range that works for both sides. However, companies are recognizing the increasing importance in attracting and locking down talent before their competition does, and are now putting their best foot forward when making offers. Therefore, it’s best to treat salary negotiation as a straightforward process in order to save time for both parties.
Know your worth, but be flexible. You should have an idea in mind of what you want from your new position, but whether you’re looking for increased salary, better benefits, or a more flexible work-life balance, know beforehand what is negotiable and what is not. As mentioned above, employers are valuing flexibility in IT candidates more than ever, so it’s best not to push the issue too hard on anything that isn’t a deal-breaker for you.
Use those soft skills. Just like you want to remain professional even after the interview, you want to continue showing off those attractive soft skills—and by being flexible with your negotiations, you’re already part of the way there! Also be sure to use clear communication tactics at all times, hold yourself accountable for timely and professional responses, and find ways to display those analytical thinking skills wherever possible. Not only will you be getting the most out of the offer process if you utilize these skills, you’ll also be showing what you’re worth and reassuring the hiring manager that they made the right decision in extending you an offer.
Handle multiple offers wisely. Many clients indicated in our whitepaper that finding qualified candidates will be a major concern in 2015, so if you find yourself in high demand, you can expect to be juggling multiple offers. In some cases, if you’re already employed, you may even be given a counter-offer from your current company. In these situations, remember: multiple offers should be assessed and decided upon in a timely fashion in order to save the employer’s time and money, and taking a counter-offer is almost never a good idea.

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The Execu|Search Group is a leading recruitment, temporary staffing, and workforce management solutions firm with offices throughout the U.S. Whether you're a professional interested in making your next move, or an employer looking to improve your hiring strategy, we're here to help!